Dental fillings help to restore your teeth to their former glory. However, everything good comes at a cost. Sometimes, your health insurance may cover the full or partial cost of these fillings, at times, they may not. Hence, you might have to endure some or the entire finances required for dental fillings. Luckily, there are many fillings options available to match your budget. Therefore, let’s explore these options and other factors that determine the final cost of dental fillings.
Types Of Dental Fillings And Their Cost:
You can choose from various dental fillings materials, each with unique advantages, disadvantages, and price tag.
Metal or Amalgam Fillings: These are the cheapest dental fillings available that can cost you around $100-$250. However, a low price tag means a compromise in quality. Although they last very long for about ten years, they don’t bond well with teeth. Hence, over time, their condition deteriorates due to corrosion. Moreover, metal fillings can expand, causing fractures and discoloring parts of your teeth.
Metal fillings use a mercury compound, but there is no need to be skeptical about mercury-related health problems. It is because the body doesn’t readily absorb mercury compounds used in the fillings.
Composite Resin Fillings: These are second in line when talking about the cost as they can cost twice as much. Therefore, you can expect a dent in about $200 to $300. However, the price tag is well earned as the material is strong, bonds well, and has a natural tooth-like appearance. Nonetheless, the life span is relatively short (about five to seven years) compared to metal fillings.
Gold Fillings: These are quite strong and last the test of time( about 15 years or more). However, gold is not cheap, and neither are the gold fillings as they can cost you more than $1000.
Porcelain Inlays: These are natural-looking fillings that are more resistant to staining. However, these are remarkably expensive – more than $1000.
Other Factors And Their Impact On The Cost Of Dental Fillings:
The price range discussed above only gives a crude estimate of what to expect as there are other factors at play, such as:
- The Extent Of Decay: A speck of cavities is more accessible and cheaper to fill than an extensive decay.
- Dentists Performing The Operation: Skill is a valuable quality, especially in a surgeon. A skilled surgeon will make the operation like a walk in the park. Therefore, you should always prefer an experienced surgeon despite their high fees.
- Additional Costs: You cannot overlook the minor costs of X-rays and other necessary measures. Again, the price will depend on the dentist of your choice.
A Lesson Learned:
We must recognize and appreciate our teeth as nature’s gift. Therefore, it’s not only tricky but costly to repair the faults in them. However, by giving teeth the attention they need through proper oral hygiene, you can keep them in their prime shape for a lifetime (they will definitely last longer than any dental fillings). Visit Almond Dental for a regular checkup, or you can call us at 612-782-7000 for your inquiries.